The grumpy thread

[GrumpiusMaximus]

On 3/14/2020 at 2:50 AM, Zelandeth said:

01:56.  A fire alarm, smoke alarm... something like that...starts sounding in one of the houses off to the side of our property.

Gave it five minutes, still going...so time to investigate as it's obviously not just someone burning their toast.  Figure out which house it is after nearly breaking my neck peering over the fence in the pissing rain.

Can't see anything amiss, but can't see any signs of life either.  Went round and knocked on the door.  Unsurprisingly no answer.

At this point I called the fire brigade - it's now been 15 minutes and the alarm is still going off.  Probably a false alarm in an empty house...but I don't want to make that assumption when the cost is potentially someone's life.

Took longer to get the sodding address through to the operator than it did for a response to arrive.  Nearly ten minutes...is their address lookup system really that bad?!?  If I'm trapped in a burning building I really hope I don't need to explain how to get there from the main road step-by-step with my last breath!  We're in the middle of a major town...so the postcode alone will get you to within ten houses. 

I really don't want to come across as a xenophobic asshole, but seriously...if it's really blatantly obvious that English isn't your native language and isn't your strong suit...maybe an emergency services call handler, where every second can count, isn't the right job for you?  Or is that me just being cranky?

Six minutes after I put the phone down I got a phone from the response team who were on site (two streets away, having been given the wrong address...), and found exactly the same as I did.  Their investigation leads them to believe the property is empty and there's no visible sign of fire...so hopefully nothing more than a false alarm.

So cracking quick response from the fire department...just a shame the actual call handling was so poor. 

Now it's 3am and I'm still buzzing on adrenaline...so much for sleep.

Oh...and as I was about to click submit the damned alarm has just started going off again!

EDIT:  Realised I've been significantly beaten to it - but nevertheless, I'll say it again!

I would strongly recommend (if you have a smartphone) downloading the app 'What3Words'.  Some clever sod has written an algorithm that breaks down the entire globe into a series of 3x3 metre squares and randomly assigned three words to each square.  You just read the three words of the location you need, they can search for it and find where you are.  It really is that simple - and most emergency services now use it.

Case in point - a few months ago I was out walking the dog and saw a small fire turn nasty in the far distance.  Didn't know the road, just roughly where it was.  Called the fire brigade, gave them the rough location using What3Words (which would have taken a minute or two to describe) and they sent several appliances.  Turned out a barn had caught fire when a bonfire had gone awry - and they got it in time to save the barn.

Would seriously, seriously recommend the app.  It works and doesn't require any geographic knowledge of any area to be effective.

[Supernaut]

6 hours ago, Jerzy Woking said:

Trip to the States at the end of the month is now off due to their ban on air travel from the UK

I can appreciate that this is very difficult for the businesses in Austin-having their massive music festival and the MotoGP cancelled must be extremely worrying to every single one of them.

I am now bracing myself for the upcoming fun contacting the businesses for refunds on flights, race tickets, accommodation and car hire. 

And now Spain is locked down. My moving date there is 12th April, but can't see that coronavirus will be eradicated by then.

But at least I'm packing up the house so not going out and about.

Nooo, shoosh.

I hope it's all blown over by the 27th of April. Got flights to Oregon, plus a fortnight of accommodation and a hire car all booked already (booked since December). *crosses everything*

[strangeangel]

The world is a less interesting place today.

 

Throbbing Gristle and Psychic TV leader Genesis Breyer P-Orridge dies aged 70

 

 

[sheffcortinacentre]

Who?

[barefoot]

3 hours ago, strangeangel said:

The world is a less interesting place today.

Throbbing Gristle and Psychic TV leader Genesis Breyer P-Orridge dies aged 70

Marginally less interesting. They were intriguing, but he/r music was still shit.

[strangeangel]

20 minutes ago, barefoot said:

...he/r music was still shit.

 

It's not for everyone. I counted this morning and there are 72 Psychic TV albums under my stereo.

 

[Tadhg Tiogar]

6 hours ago, Parky said:

.... help from Ryanair is rather like ...

...hell freezing over.

[Tadhg Tiogar]

23 hours ago, wuvvum said:

..... I'm going to have to move the CX on.  I'd been hoping to keep this one as road legal CXs are starting to climb out of my price range, but there's too much welding for me to tackle (if it was my only project it might be feasible, but it ain't) and my mate who used to do my welding isn't in the best of health and probably wouldn't want to take it on either.  There's no way I can afford to pay a professional to do it, and not sure it'd be worth it given how battered the car is.....

Shame. Might be alright as a parts donor. I think Neil Hotham (he of the 250hp+, souped-up, pearlescent-painted S2 Turbo 1) is always on the lookout for a spare 5-speed diesel gearbox (stronger than petrol 5 speeders. allegedly), and the CX diesel lickers would usually welcome having a spare engine to hand.

Lights glass and trim always useful.

Mainland Europe CX lickers (mainly the fanatical ones in Holland and Germany) will welcome the LHD-specific parts. Battered panels might be useful for a panel beater to practise on, assuming not creased.

[xtriple]

I do my BIG shop every month online with Sainsburys. Not this month it seems as there are no hoe deliveries listed at all. Tried Asda, no home delivery slots listed. This is going to make things interesting as I and I suspect, a lot of other old crips, will be proper fucked.

Also had an e-mail from the vets which is the most terrifying scaremongering shit I've ever heard. staff wearing masks and clear plastic visors, no one allowed in the shop until 1 minute before their appointment. All repeats to be ordered over the phone and paid for at that time, collection to be at a specified date and precise time.

Have I mentioned before how much I hate this vet?

[wuvvum]

17 minutes ago, Tadhg Tiogar said:

Shame. Might be alright as a parts donor. I think Neil Hotham (he of the 250hp+, souped-up, pearlescent-painted S2 Turbo 1) is always on the lookout for a spare 5-speed diesel gearbox (stronger than petrol 5 speeders. allegedly), and the CX diesel lickers would usually welcome having a spare engine to hand.

Lights glass and trim always useful.

Mainland Europe CX lickers (mainly the fanatical ones in Holland and Germany) will welcome the LHD-specific parts. Battered panels might be useful for a panel beater to practise on, assuming not creased.

Be a shame to see it broken up, it's not that rotten - although I suppose if I sell it I don't really have any control over what happens to it.

I'm not even sure how much it's worth as it is.

[High Jetter]

11 minutes ago, xtriple said:

... there are no hoe deliveries listed at all. 

Um, are we talking garden implements or willing ladies?

[Tadhg Tiogar]

2 minutes ago, wuvvum said:

Be a shame to see it broken up, it's not that rotten - although I suppose if I sell it I don't really have any control over what happens to it.

I'm not even sure how much it's worth as it is.

My guess is you'd probably get a bit more for it in Europe than here, mainly because not enough people in Britain are genuinely interested enough (i.e. not flippers) to actually own a CX. I get the impression that it's a bit like the Visa in that respect - only about 140 cars on the road in a year.

That said, there are a few LHD CXs in Britain - generally very early Series 1s.

[Zelandeth]

Just had a text through (yep, at 2AM) confirming as I half expected that the doctor's appointment I've been waiting for the last two and a half months for (about eight weeks is the normal waiting time for a routine appointment here) has been outright cancelled.

This was a medication review for my antidepressants as I've been really struggling a bit in this last month or so.  Having been basically told by the therapist that they're not going to be able to do anything about 3/4 of the issues I asked to be referred to a councillor to address as "these are physiological reactions to the issues, nothing we can do with CBT" really isn't helpful.  However my sleep having got even worse lately and the stress this Coronavirus nonsense is causing (please bear in mind that I have an anxiety disorder to start with!) way more issues...oh, and I've been struggling to manage my ASD more in the last year or so.

So being told that I basically just have to suck it up for the foreseeable future...blaaaaaaaarg.

Especially with everyone working from home making for a very full house.  Well...aside from Abby whose boss is psychotic and won't let her work from home "because she's young and healthy" so she's having to train into central London every day. 

I have asthma.

One of our close family friends is in the middle of aggressive cancer treatment.

My Nan is 92 in a couple of months.

So yeah, I am quite worried about the potential for it to directly impact my family.  Especially as none of us have exactly a great medical history.

 

Oh...and had a phone call yesterday confirming that I am now officially unemployed.  I've only been doing occasional consultancy work as it is, but it's still a bit disheartening.  Reason is plain and simple, the budget which covers the project was sourced from an EU grant, and with Brexit happening that's just evaporated.  They'd been sitting on things for a few months until they knew what was happening...now they know.  Bye bye project.

I was pretty much expecting this to happen at some point (and it was still only the odd few hours here and there anyway) but it still sucks.  Especially as it's quite a lot of time on several folk's parts which has just been flushed down the metaphorical toilet.

Not going into politics any more than explaining why I'm grumpy!

Blarg.

[sporty-shite]

2 hours ago, Zelandeth said:

Just had a text through (yep, at 2AM) confirming as I half expected that the doctor's appointment I've been waiting for the last two and a half months for (about eight weeks is the normal waiting time for a routine appointment here) has been outright cancelled.

This was a medication review for my antidepressants as I've been really struggling a bit in this last month or so.  Having been basically told by the therapist that they're not going to be able to do anything about 3/4 of the issues I asked to be referred to a councillor to address as "these are physiological reactions to the issues, nothing we can do with CBT" really isn't helpful.  However my sleep having got even worse lately and the stress this Coronavirus nonsense is causing (please bear in mind that I have an anxiety disorder to start with!) way more issues...oh, and I've been struggling to manage my ASD more in the last year or so.

So being told that I basically just have to suck it up for the foreseeable future...blaaaaaaaarg.

 

Will your GP not do a telephone consultation? If it's a meds review, they should be able to make adjustments without physically seeing you.

[sporty-shite]

On 3/13/2020 at 7:58 PM, clayts450 said:

 the going trade rates (round about 65 to 70p per loaded mile)

Really? I was doing between 75p and £1/mile in 2004. Glad I quit!

[Zelandeth]

7 hours ago, sporty-shite said:

Will your GP not do a telephone consultation? If it's a meds review, they should be able to make adjustments without physically seeing you.

Potentially - though I'll need to start the ball rolling from scratch again as they've just outright cancelled the appointment.

Not sure how to go about booking a telephone appointment as they've locked down the entire booking system (including the phone based one) so there's no way to request an appointment without physically going there.  Going there involves ignoring the big angry red signs on the door saying do not enter unless in case of dire emergency.

[purplebargeken]

Went out to get a pack of paracetamol. Boots none, Superdrug none. FFS. Local chemist, sorted but the place looked like a biohazard containment unit FFS. This is getting a bit silly. 

[Zelandeth]

2 hours ago, purplebargeken said:

Went out to get a pack of paracetamol. Boots none, Superdrug none. FFS. Local chemist, sorted but the place looked like a biohazard containment unit FFS. This is getting a bit silly. 

Yep...took me visits to seven pharmacies on Friday to find some Nurofen Plus (the only thing which will even touch the pain when my back is acting up).  There went a significant portion of the afternoon!

[myglaren]

1 hour ago, Zelandeth said:

Yep...took me visits to seven pharmacies on Friday to find some Nurofen Plus (the only thing which will even touch the pain when my back is acting up).  There went a significant portion of the afternoon!

If you have one close by then Savers and Home Bargains, probably others too, stock that and similar items.

[clayts450]

12 hours ago, sporty-shite said:

Really? I was doing between 75p and £1/mile in 2004. Glad I quit!

Yeah, market forces. If I had my own customers I could probably push it up to 1.20 plm, but as a subbie I have to make do with the scraps. 63p plm today, which on a 57 mile job (plus the 18 miles to pick up) equates to the square root of fuck all. And that was quite a high offer from me too !

 

[clayts450]

35 minutes ago, myglaren said:

If you have one close by then Savers and Home Bargains, probably others too, stock that and similar items.

Wilko too

[Zelandeth]

1 hour ago, myglaren said:

If you have one close by then Savers and Home Bargains, probably others too, stock that and similar items.

Sadly Nurofen Plus has codeine in and as such is pharmacy only.

I did eventually manage to get through to the GP surgery this afternoon on the phone.  They currently aren't booking anything whatsoever (phone or otherwise) other than for emergencies, and cannot advise when they will be changing that. 

They've also advised that as I am officially firmly in an "at risk" group, that I should be immediately taking action.  Their advice is that I should immediately cut off all contact with the outside world (including isolating myself from my housemates as they're still having to venture to work at the moment, especially Abby who's still having to take the train into Central London daily), and plan on not setting foot out the door for at least the next 12 weeks unless it's a matter of life or death.

Um...Yeah.  Let's see how that goes...

[Supernaut]

I should probably find out if I'm classified as "at risk", being a type 1 diabetic telecoms engineer who shares a house with a postie...

[PiperCub]

18 hours ago, High Jetter said:

Um, are we talking garden implements or willing ladies?

HOE? You mean a Horizontally Orientated Entertainer?

[sheffcortinacentre]

Do you have a branch of "mind" locally they give 6 months free counseling.

[MikeR]

My others halfs way to start a argument ..

The shop is on a main road between 2 towns .....

And ....

[GrumpiusMaximus]

16 hours ago, sheffcortinacentre said:

Do you have a branch of "mind" locally they give 6 months free counseling.

It depends on the Local Mind Association's provision.  I used to work for one.

Each local Mind is an independent charity that does its own fundraising and service provision.  The services therefore vary between different areas.  In effect, 'Mind' charities are a franchise system that signs up to a set of policies and procedures but are otherwise independent.  The Local Mind Association I used to work for did offer free (and paid-for) counselling, as well as drop-ins, activity sessions, housing, employment support, etc. - but we were a bigger one with good financials.  It depends.

[Zelandeth]

I did try calling them about a year back. They basically punted me back to the GP and IAPT, saying "We have 900% more patients than resources, if you get suicidal then give us a call back."

As with everything vaguely health related in my area, massively underfunded and oversubscribed.

Edited March 17, 2020 by Zelandeth
typo

[taxi paul]

Went out in the celica today. Got to leave my mums and I snapped the bloody key in the door lock.  Managed to get it out. Then realised no spare key. So celica left at mums and will now have to get one of them auto locksmith chaps to come and cut one and programme it on site. 

[Kowalski]

Presuming it has the original locks, Toyota should be able to cut you one based on the VIN number. The cheapest option would be to get a non electronic key cut and tape either the remains of the key to the barrel or take the chip out and put that there.